Chicken Soup with Dumplings

There's something about the smell of butter and celery hitting hot pan that makes you feel like you're doing something right in the kitchen. I was standing in my apartment on a grey Tuesday, still bundled in my coat because the heat was taking its time, and I decided the only reasonable response was to make chicken soup with dumplings. My grandmother used to say that dumplings were proof you could turn humble flour and milk into something that felt like a hug, and twenty years later, I finally understood what she meant.

I made this for my neighbor after she had surgery, and watching her eyes close in relief with that first spoonful made me realize why this soup has survived every food trend and cookbooks worth of newer recipes. The dumplings floated in the bowl like little clouds, and she asked for the recipe before she'd even finished. That's when I knew I had to write it down properly.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter (2 tbsp for the base): This is your foundation—it's where the sweetness of caramelized onions starts, so don't skip it or substitute with oil.
• Medium onion, diced: One medium onion is the magic number; too many and the soup becomes onion-forward, too few and you lose that underlying sweetness.
• Carrots and celery (2 each, sliced): These are your aromatic backbone—they soften into the broth and create a subtle sweetness that makes the whole soup taste more like home.
• Garlic cloves (3, minced): Add garlic after the softer vegetables so it doesn't burn and turn bitter on you.
• Bone-in, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (1 kg): Thighs stay more tender and flavorful, but breasts work if that's what you have—just watch them so they don't dry out.
• Bay leaves and dried thyme (2 leaves, 1 tsp): These herbs are subtle but essential; they add depth without announcing themselves.
• Low-sodium chicken broth (2.5 L): Good broth makes this whole thing sing, so taste your broth before you buy it if you can.
• Frozen peas and fresh parsley (1 cup peas, 2 tbsp parsley): Peas add a touch of sweetness and color, while parsley brings freshness right at the end so it doesn't get lost in the cooking.
• All-purpose flour (1½ cups): This is what gives your dumplings structure and lets them rise without being heavy.
• Baking powder (2 tsp): This is the secret to light, fluffy dumplings—it's doing the work that yeast would do, but faster.
• Whole milk (¾ cup): Whole milk makes dumplings tender; skim milk will give you something closer to a rubber ball.
• Melted butter for dumplings (2 tbsp): This adds richness and helps everything come together in the dumpling dough.

Instructions

Start your aromatics:

Melt butter in your soup pot over medium heat and add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. You want to hear them sizzle gently for about five to six minutes until they soften and the onion turns translucent—this is where your soup gets its gentle, underlying sweetness.

Wake up the garlic:

Add your minced garlic and let it cook for just one minute until it becomes fragrant. Longer than that and it starts to brown and turn sharp instead of sweet.

Build the broth:

Add your chicken pieces, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper, then pour in the chicken broth. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for twenty-five to thirty minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender enough to shred easily with a fork.

Shred and return:

Pull the chicken out carefully, let it cool for just a minute, then use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bones and skin, then put all that tender chicken back into the simmering broth.

Add the greens:

Stir in your frozen peas and fresh parsley, and bring the soup back to a gentle simmer. The peas will warm through in about two minutes, and the parsley will brighten everything without getting cooked to death.

Make the dumpling dough:

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the melted butter and milk just until the mixture comes together—do not overmix, because overworked dough leads to tough, dense dumplings instead of the fluffy ones you're after.

Drop and cover:

Using a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough directly onto the surface of your simmering soup, leaving a little space between each one so they have room to puff up. Cover the pot tightly and resist every urge to peek inside for fifteen minutes while they cook.

Finish and serve:

After fifteen minutes, your dumplings should be puffed and cooked through. Taste the broth, adjust salt and pepper if needed, remove the bay leaves, then ladle everything into bowls and top with a little extra parsley.

Pin It

Years later, people still call me when they're feeling under the weather or when they need something that feels like comfort, and they ask for this recipe. There's something almost sacred about a soup that does that—it becomes less about technique and more about the moments it creates around the dinner table.

The Secret to a Flavorful Broth

The quality of your broth matters more than anything else in this recipe. If you have time, making your own chicken broth by simmering chicken bones with aromatics for a few hours is absolutely worth it, but a good store-bought low-sodium broth gets you ninety percent of the way there. The low-sodium part is crucial because it lets the natural flavors of the chicken and vegetables shine through instead of masking everything with salt. I learned this the hard way after making a pot with regular broth and ending up with something too salty to enjoy.

Why Dumplings Instead of Noodles

Dumplings have this wonderful texture that absorbs the broth without getting soggy the way noodles sometimes do. They're also more forgiving if you leave them in the pot a little longer than planned. The baking powder in the dumpling dough is what makes them light and fluffy—it creates tiny air pockets that keep them tender rather than dense. I've made versions with just flour and milk, and they work, but they don't have that same cloud-like quality that makes you want to go back for another spoonful.

Variations and Personal Touches

This recipe is forgiving enough to handle some creativity without falling apart. You can add fresh dill or tarragon to the dumpling dough for a subtle herbal note, or stir some into the broth itself for a different kind of sophistication. Some people add egg noodles alongside the dumplings for more substance, and that works beautifully if you're feeding hungry people. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens everything without making it taste citrusy.

• For a gluten-free version, use your favorite gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour and follow the same measurements.
• Try adding a tablespoon of fresh dill or a teaspoon of fresh tarragon to the dumpling dough for an herbaceous twist.
• A splash of dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc stirred into the broth just before serving adds complexity without being obvious.

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This soup is the kind of thing you make when you want to feel taken care of, and the beautiful part is that making it for someone else gives you that same warm feeling. There's real magic in that.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do I shred the chicken properly?

After cooking, remove the chicken and let it cool slightly. Use two forks to pull the meat apart into bite-sized, tender pieces, discarding bones and skin.

→ How can I ensure the dumplings are fluffy?

Mix dumpling ingredients gently until just combined to avoid tough dough. Drop spoonfuls onto simmering broth and cover tightly while cooking to trap steam that puffs the dumplings.

→ Can I make this dish gluten-free?

Yes, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend suitable for dumplings to maintain similar texture and flavor.

→ What herbs enhance the flavor best?

Bay leaves, dried thyme, and fresh parsley create a classic aromatic base; for a twist, add dill or tarragon for extra herbal notes.

→ Is homemade broth better for this dish?

Homemade chicken broth adds depth and richness but low-sodium store-bought broth works well for convenience without sacrificing flavor.